


The Downfall of Light

by sunnyappleseeds



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Rape/Non-con Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 19:52:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5639851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyappleseeds/pseuds/sunnyappleseeds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link fought heroically against Ganondorf during their final battle; however, the Hero of Light was unable to prevail over the infamous Gerudo, leaving Hyrule in a state of chaos. While the people of the sacred land fall into turmoil, hope lives on, yet that fact is concealed by the tyrant reigning over their once peaceful home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! This is a story I have been working on for quite a while and decided to post here! It is also located on FanFiction under an account of a different name, but I have found through experience with both sites that readers here typically tend to take things more seriously and are more fun to interact with in the comments! That being said, I'm going to give you a warning before you decide whether or not to read this: I tagged the story multiple times with a non-con/rape warning, and I did it for a reason! There is non-consensual sex between Ganondorf and Link in this story; it's not loving at all and is used as a form of abuse and torture. If you do not want to read about that, just don't read the story. Along with that, I am in no way saying that rape or any such action is acceptable. It is a horrible crime, and it should not be condoned by anyone. However, in a fictional story such as this, I find the subject interesting to explore, as you can clearly see with my other stories. Okay, so with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy!

Those relying on him had never imagined that the intended savior of Hyrule would collapse in his final battle, but the terrified shriek that erupted from Princess Zelda confirmed that the young man's fate had been sealed... Link, the courageous hero of the land, had fallen in his clash against the King of Evil.  
________________________________________

There was a flickering light casting dull shadows upon cement walls, and the faint sound of water dribbling through narrow canals added an ominous vibe to the already eerie location. However, the shuddersome factors did not phase the young man who was just beginning to awaken from an agonizing slumber.

His eyes lazily fluttered open, and regions of his body ached from fresh bruises and wounds. Attempting to move caused a tremendous surge of pain to wrack his injured form, yet he forced his limbs to lift himself into an upright position.

Glancing around, Link quickly recognized this area... it was the sewer located below Hyrule Castle, a detestable place that the kingdom had once used to harbor the most corrupt criminals found within the nation's borders.

The adolescent hero groaned as the throbbing throughout his body increased with every breath he took in. "What... what happened...?" As Link attempted to determine the reason he was now imprisoned in this shady dungeon, he allowed his injured body to sprawl out on the cold cellar floor in order to relieve some of the pain seizing his battered form.  
Memories that had temporarily been erased due to trauma came rushing back as Link tried to recall how he had arrived in this bleak prison...

Ganondorf.

The Hero of Light was fighting his final foe after the Dark Lord had murdered Midna, but he was ultimately overwhelmed by the bearer of Din's sacred power. Though the green warrior put forth a valiant effort, Ganondorf proved to be stronger than Link had anticipated. The Gerudo King had seized his opportunity to strike down the chosen hero, and before Link had been able to reorient himself from Ganondorf's last blow, the man's massive blade struck him from above; darkness blotted out his vision as he sunk to ground. The sound of Princess Zelda crying out in terror pierced his ears before all of his senses were rendered ineffective.

Link analyzed the events in his mind... when the young man had collided with the Gerudo's blade, he had truly believed that death had claimed him. However, for a reason that Link was not able to discern at the moment, Ganondorf had not ended his life. Instead, the evil being must have thrown him in a cell located in the sewage system of Hyrule's market place.

After several more moments of mulling over the possible reasons that he had been placed in here rather than executed, Link heard the sound of two feet trudging closer.  
"It looks like you are alive, after all," a deep, rumbling voice stated from the outside of Link's cell, "I must say, I wasn't entirely sure that you would survive."

Ignoring the intense pain that protested his movements, Link pushed himself up to view the man. "You... what do you want?" The hero was taken aback by the pitiful sound of his own voice; he spoke in a weak and raspy fashion, which differed greatly from his usual vocal quality.

"You act as though you are not pleased that I have taken the time to visit you, boy," a sneer appeared upon Ganondorf's face as he spoke, "I came to this filthy place to see if you had survived."

"Why?" Link snapped with his shaky voice before his body cringed in pain again. "What's the point in locking me up down here?"

"I wasn't about to let you roam free again, not after all the trouble you have caused," the Gerudo responded in a tone that seemed too casual for such a conversation, "but I suppose you're wondering why I kept you alive instead of simply killing you? The answer to that is rather simple; I am going to make you regret interfering with my affairs.  
"Due to your heroic deeds, I nearly failed in conquering Hyrule," the dark man continued, "and for that, you shall suffer."

Link felt a sense of overwhelming dread settle in the pit if his stomach, but his spirit retained its strength. "You can do whatever you want to me," he declared, still sounding weaker than he had hoped, "but the people of Hyrule won't give up as long as there is a chance of victory."

Ganondorf began to rumble with laughter. "Such a naive boy... you were the only chance they had, and you failed them."

"That's not true! I'm still alive, and I am going to kill you!" Link vehemently shouted before his muscles spasmed painfully, causing him to fall back towards the ground.

"I must give you credit for having the same spirit as your predecessor, but you are no more than an insect compared to the Hero of Time. Do you truly believe that you could end my life?" Another hardy laugh erupted from the large male. "And as for your theory on a Hylian rebellion, it will not happen. Though you and I are aware of your status, the citizens of Hyrule believe that you died amidst our previous encounter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought in the comments! Since I have quite a bit of content already done from working on this for a while, I'm going to post the first few chapters in bulk and then add on as the others get completed, and please, do not complain to me about the subject of this story in the comments; I will tell you straight up that I will probably respond to any such comments in a not so nice way. Nevertheless, I sincerely appreciate serious criticisms, positive or negative, and love responding to all of my readers in order to get their opinions and incorporate their suggestions into the work! Thanks everyone!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Chapter 2!

"What?" The question was barely a whisper.

"Your allies, your dear friends, and the entirety of Hyrule believe that you succumbed to a tragic fate while facing me," Ganondorf let a menacing grin spread across his face as Link's breathing became labored, "with their pathetic Hero of Destiny done for, the wretches that inhabit this land have relinquished the last shreds of hope that they had been desperately clinging to."

"Why would they think that?" Link attempted to steady his uneven breathing while focusing an angry stare upon his enemy's face.

"You may be courageous, but it seems as though you lack competence," the young hero continued to glower at Ganondorf, but the older male was not fazed by the look of disdain, "after you lost consciousness, I had several bulblins drag you down here while I pursued that pathetic excuse of a princess. When I returned, a crowd of Hylian peasants had gathered to discover why the castle was collapsing.

"I seized the opportunity to destroy their optimistic frame of mind," the enormous man threw open the cell door and stepped inside, causing Link to jerk back in yet another convulsion of agony, "I declared that their intended liberators had succumbed to my superior power before claiming the land of Hyrule as my own."

"What happened to Princess Zelda?" Link asked while trying to maintain composure as Ganondorf approached him. "Did you lock her up, too?"

The Demon King was now looming over Link. "I did no such thing." His words struck the boy with panic... if he had not imprisoned the princess, that most likely meant that she had been killed by the Gerudo.

"That mare of yours is impressive," the young hero was confused when Ganondorf began to speak about Epona, "the former sovereign of Hyrule was able to escape on the horse, but do not fret. I will find the princess at some point... however, she is not my top priority right now, for she is powerless without the aid of the destined hero – even the people of this land are aware of that, as they all witnessed her display of cowardice when my underlings seized the castle."

Link could feel his muscles relax upon learning that Zelda was safe, at least for the time being. However, the slight change in Link's demeanor did not go unnoticed by Ganondorf.

"You have no reason to be at ease, hero," the Gerudo stated while his gaze darkened, "you are under my possession now, and I intend to punish you for attempting to execute me."

________________________________________

Kakariko Village had been a place that had been become accustomed to tragedy over the last few months, but it was more somber than usual at the current time. News of the tragedy had been delivered nearly two days ago, and the only thing that filled the air since was the wailing of the Ordonian children.

"This... this isn't possible!" Ilia, Link's closest childhood friend, was uncontrollably bawling. "He... he couldn't have! I-I don't believe it!"

"Sweet Ilia," the shaman of Kakariko spoke gently, "you must try to relax; I don't want you to make yourself sick." The words did little to sooth her, for the girl remained in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Colin, the boy who had admired the hero more than anyone else, clung tightly to Ilia as he tried to hold back the tears brimming in his eyes. He wanted to be strong for the others, but that was nearly impossible while everyone else was falling apart over the loss of their dear companion.

"Mister Renado... are you sure? Are you sure that's what the postman said...?" Beth asked through her sobs; though the shaman had answered the question many times already, they continued to ask for confirmation, for none of them could believe that Link had been killed.

"I am so sorry, children," the man put his arms around two of the young Ordonians, "I deeply wish that this was only a terrible nightmare, but I am afraid that Link is no longer with us."

"No! He promised that he would return safely!" Ilia shouted with a tear stained face before defiantly slamming a fist into the dirt floor. "Link would never lie about something like that!"

"Ilia, stop it!" The young boy named Talo screamed at the oldest female. "Saying it didn't happen isn't going to change anything! Link is gone, and he's not coming back!"

"Don't yell at her!" Beth scolded the boy as water continued to stream down her own reddened cheeks. "She's really upset... we all are, and you're not helping!"

"Please, do not fight," Renado pleaded; it was understandable that they were reacting in such a way, for learning that a loved one died would cause anyone, especially children, to have raging emotions; however, taking their loathsome and melancholy feelings out on each other was not healthy, "I understand that you are all angry, but fighting will not accomplish anything."

Before another sorrowful outburst could erupt, the front doors of the village's sanctuary opened from the outside. The desolate faces of the five Ordonian children turned to see Rusl entering the circular building.

"I'm assuming that you all know what happened..." the man sighed as he examined his fellow Ordonians. "I know there's nothing that can be said to alleviate the pain caused from this, but being with your families will help the grieving process. I brought a horse and a carriage with me; it's time for us to finally return home."

The sun's beautiful rays did not brighten any spirits as the children exited the sanctuary to board the simplistic wagon. As the Ordonian children filled the carriage, Renado began to speak with Rusl.

"From what the young ones have told me, I gathered that you acted as the boy's father figure," the shaman gave Rusl a sympathetic look, "I am terribly sorry for your loss."

"Yes, my wife and I looked after Link until he was old enough to care for himself,” Rusl sighed, his voice plagued with muted dejection,” and while I appreciate your condolences, I am not entirely sure they are necessary," confusion spread over Renado’s previously pitying face, "I did not want to say anything in front of the children, as I do not want to give them false hope, but Link's death has not been confirmed."

"But... but the postman said that our new ruler, Ganondorf, declared that both he and the princess died," Renado refuted his statement, even though the he desperately wanted to accept that Link could potentially be alive, "do you honestly believe that he could have survived?"

"I am not saying anything for certain, but his body was never found, and neither was Princess Zelda's."

"How did you come across that information? I was under the impression that only a general message was delivered to each region of Hyrule."

"The Resistance, a group of Hylians fighting for our freedom, decided to check into the matter after the declaration of their passing had been made," Rusl informed the shaman, "they located the Master Sword in Hyrule field, but that was the only item remaining.

"According to legend, the sword cannot be touched by evil beings," the Ordonian continued, "the fact that his body and other weapons were not there means that something had to have removed them, and having only the Master Sword remaining on the battlefield indicates that it must have been a creature of darkness, for a pure being would have collected the sword along with those other items."

The shaman of Kakariko was clearly analyzing Rusl's words, trying to determine whether his conclusion was a plausible one. "If your theory happens to be true, what do you suppose has happened to Link?"

"There are several possibilities... someone could have hauled him off to take his weapons, but that is doubtful. One wishing to steal his items would have stripped his body and left him. Therefore, I am lead to believe that he is being held captive by our new king."

“I suppose that is possible, and while I do not wish to be pessimistic, I don’t believe that you should be overly confident in that assertion,” the shaman offered his honesty rather than positivity, “nevertheless, I will notify you immediately if I receive news regarding the subject.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think so far!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're enjoying so far!

"You should be thankful that I have shown you mercy. I easily could have disposed of you," the Gerudo King grunted, "but death would relieve you of your suffering, and I do not intend to let the descendant of the alleged hero to have the luxury of dying."

"Do... do your worst..." the hero challenged defiantly as his entire frame throbbed in agony; he had been in poor condition from engaging Ganondorf in a sword fight, but those wounds dulled in comparison to the fresh ones placed upon him by the monstrous Gerudo.

New bruises had developed atop his already damaged skin, most of which were bordering on dark shades of purple. The fresh lacerations had not yet clotted, so sanguine liquid continued to gush down the boy's flesh, saturating his tunic and pooling on the cement floor.

"I intend to do exactly that... though even your suffering will not satisfy the burning hatred I hold towards you and your predecessors," the large man declared, "unfortunately, I must depart now... you seem to be teetering on the edge of death. Striking you once more could easily cause your demise, and I will not allow that. However, your punishment is only beginning. I guarantee that the remainder of your pathetic life will be filled with anguish."

________________________________________

The sound of clanking metal caused Link's eyes to burst open and scan the area to identify the noise. There were no signs of movement, but the light sound of fading footsteps could be heard. It seemed as though a being of some sort had recently been near...

However, the young man had suffered tremendous injuries, and he was not sure whether the noises he heard were real or simply conjured up as a result of severe blood loss... but the glint of a small object proved that a visitor had stopped by, as Link was certain that this item had not been in this location prior to his loss of consciousness. 

Positioned just inside the metal bars that caged Link in sat a glass bottle. It was filled to its neck with a red liquid that the hero was familiar with: it was the potion used to restore one's health.

At first Link was puzzled as to how and why such an item would be placed in his chamber, but he quickly came to the correct conclusion. The sound that had woken Link from his unconscious state was produced by a minion of the Gerudo while it was depositing the bottle. And though it would seem counterintuitive for Ganondorf to allow Link the luxury of healing himself, the man’s sole objective was to damage the boy physically and mentally; therefore, it made sense to restore his health, for the evil man wanted to torment rather than kill the young hero, and healing him would ensure that Link would live to endure his punishment.

It was apparent that more abuse in Link's current state would result in a premature death, and a dose of red potion would patch him up nicely, allowing Ganondorf to victimize the hero again...

The young man eyed the scarlet fluid. Though he desperately wanted to drink the liquid and heal himself, Link was not entirely sure that consuming the potion would be the best idea. Downing the potion would relieve his physical pain and alleviate the infections that were festering in his open wounds; however, taking in the liquid would also allow Ganondorf to beat him senseless without the risk of killing, but if he were to ignore the drink, there would be little that the King of Darkness could do, for Link was relatively certain that Ganondorf would not allow him to escape through death... but not using the potion could result in horrible complications.

The hero could develop a variety of infections and illnesses from being exposed to the dank elements in the sewer, and that could ultimately result in death, as well... so it seemed that the most advantageous option would be to swallow the bottled elixir.

Moving his body from its slumped position against the wall proved to be a difficult task for Link. He was aware that the many brutal strikes from Ganondorf had caused great damage, but the pain was amplified when the hero became mobile.

Fortunately, there could not have been more than several feet in between Link and the glass container; therefore, the young man was able to wriggle across the cement in a matter of moments. After gripping the smooth glass and removing the cork, Link brought the bottle up to his lips and, with hands that shook from exhaustion and affliction, poured the medical concoction down his throat.

The aching in his joints and muscles began to dissipate, and bloodied gashes sealed into unmarred areas of flesh. Bruises reversed from patches of blue and red to the slightly tanned color of the Hylian's skin; broken bones reverted to their original structures, and all other wounds that had littered Link's body vanished from existence.

With a renewed physical form to match his warrior's spirit, the Hylian hero began to plan for the near future, as Ganondorf would surely return with a renewed sense of hatred for Link.

________________________________________

It was a great relief to both the parents and children when the young Ordonians finally returned to their village. Their journey was harsh, for an even larger expanse of monsters were now inhabiting Hyrule Field due to Ganondorf's recent seizure of power, but their home was free of that insane terror. However, safety did not necessarily provide happiness for any of the villagers, as one of their most cherished citizens did not return.

As elders attempted to comfort the young ones that were still in tears, Rusl approached the village's mayor.

"I told Renado the same information as I gave to you," the man said to the larger male, "he was skeptical but did not deny the possibility. He also assured me that he would relay any information concerning the matter."

"That's good to hear," Mayor Bo replied as he watched his citizens reunite, "what do you plan to do now, Rusl? If he is still alive, it may be nearly impossible to find him, and there is a chance that over these last few days... well, he might not have made it through them..." As grim as that sounded, Bo was only speaking the truth.

"I know, but we can't give up if there is still a chance..." Rusl allowed his words to trail off as Ilia approached them.

"A chance of what?" The mayor's daughter questioned as she stood only feet away from the two men.

"Nothing," Bo quickly answered, "just a rumor that Rusl heard. It's nothing important."

"Oh... okay..." The girl's eyes were still red from crying so much, and her faced was covered in an expression of pure misery.

Bo closed the short distance between him and his daughter. "Ilia, you should go home and rest," he embraced her as the girl's eyes began to water again, "I need to discuss several issues with Rusl, but I will be home to make dinner tonight. Please try to relax for a while; I can tell you are exhausted."

With a lifeless gaze that was blurred by tears, Ilia pulled away from her father. "Yeah... that sounds nice... I haven't slept well in a few days."

As she began to trudge towards her house, a thought crossed her mind. "Do either of you know what happened to Epona?"

Link's mare was the third creature missing, which lead to even more possibilities of what could have transpired during the fateful encounter with Ganondorf.

When silence was the only response, Ilia forced a broken smile. "Right... it was foolish to even ask..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any ideas for the story, let me know!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I'm posting these in bulk, I don't really have much to say at the beginning of these chapters...

The entire population of Hyrule had placed their faith in him, and he failed... he was the reason that this land blessed by the goddesses was being plunged into darkness by that wretched Gerudo.

However, Link was not willing to accept that all was lost. As long as he maintained an ounce of life, he would not succumb to the seemingly inevitable failure.

There were many obstacles in his way, though... the first of which being that he was completely trapped in this sewer. Link had spent hours trying to break through the materials that were caging him in, but his bare hands were useless in this situation... and the idea of someone happening upon him I'm this place was an utter joke; after all, he was in a remote area of Hyrule Castle's sewage system... and not many people tended to wander around down there.

He knew that no one would be trying to locate him, either. Ganondorf had declared his death to the entire land, so his allies would be mourning rather than starting a search party.

That left two options for the hero. He could attempt to fight the Demon King while completely unarmed, which, although Link was a very powerful man compared to most humans, would result in failure against the massive Gerudo warlock. This left the young man with one possibility... he could make a break for it when Ganondorf returned for another round of pummeling.

It was true that Ganondorf was substantially stronger than Link when it came to brute strength; however, the Gerudo's massive size restricted his speed, which meant Link would be able to out run him and get back to civilization.

The only challenge would be to evade seizure while attempting to flee from his cell...

________________________________________

Ilia uncomfortably shifted in her bed as scattered rays of light danced through her windows. The warmth radiating from the beams gave her a sense of security, but the cold reality kept her from feeling at ease.

She slowly rose from her mattress to descend the wooden staircase that separated her room from Mayor Bo's. Ilia could hear her father snoring softly as she silently made her way towards the front door of her home.

As the young girl passed through the kitchen, which was the area that was directly adjacent to the entryway, she noted that a full bowl of soup sat near an empty one on the counter... her father must have prepared dinner for her last night, yet she had seemingly slept through it, and her appetite for any sort of food had not yet returned, for the truth about Link was much too difficult to swallow without the added burden of food.

Exiting her house and closing the door as quietly as possible, the girl began to walk towards the fountain of Ordon's Light Spirit; the water in that sacred pond had special properties that healed a variety of wounds, so perhaps it could mend her broken heart... though, she was aware that the possibility was highly unlikely.

The journey to the spring proved to be emotionally strenuous, for the only path to her destination crossed directly in front of Link's treehouse. Seeing the structure nearly tore her apart, but she held back her turbulent emotions and progressed towards the guardian spirit's fountain in hopes that her mind could be put at ease.

Laying her eyes upon the water brought back many memories; she and Link used to come to this location all the time; they would come here to laugh, to talk, to play... even before the other children were born, these two could always be found together in this very spot.

And then there were the many times that she would steal Epona from Link in order to bathe and heal her with this sacred water; however, the faithful horse always favored the Hylian boy over her, a fact that she often found slightly aggravating yet equally entertaining. Though not nearly as tragic as losing Link, Ilia was still extremely upset about the loss of such a brilliant creature.

As she somberly recalled those cherished memories, the young woman's gaze shifted to the ground where something caught her eye. Blowing gently in the breeze was a stalk of horse grass, the plant that Link used to call for his steed. The nostalgic feeling that had overcome Ilia compelled her to reach down for a piece of the horseshoe shaped vegetation.

Though knowledge told her that blowing into the plant would accomplish nothing, a sensation that she could not properly identify begged her to play the melody that would summon Epona.

________________________________________

"I am pleased to see that you decided to heal yourself," Link had been anticipating the return of Ganondorf for nearly three hours before the large man finally reappeared, "though the sight of your bloody and nearly lifeless body brings joy to me, I much prefer my victims to endure their punishment in a state of consciousness; I want them to be fully aware of the torture that I bestow upon them."

The Gerudo stood outside of Link's chamber, eyeing him with anticipation. However, the hero was not concerned about being beaten up again, nor did he pay much attention to the eerie words being spoken; his mind was only focused on one thing: running as soon as Ganondorf opened the door.

"Though your skills with a blade are dull in comparison to your predecessor, it is obvious that you have obtained his audacious spirit," the dark skin man continued as Link continued to wait while adrenaline rushed through his veins, "it is obvious to see that by your defiant gaze..."

As the two continued to stare at each other, Link began to feel more uneasy with the situation, and this did not go unnoticed by the other man.

"You must take me for a complete fool," Ganondorf said in an amused tone, "did you honestly believe that I would expect you to wait patiently for me to return? I highly doubt that you simply sat around feeling sorry for yourself; in fact, I am quite positive that you devised some sort of strategy to escape."

The same transparent walls that encased their final battle appeared behind Ganondorf, effectively blocking Link's path to freedom.

"Based solely upon your expression, I presume that you were plotting something. However, there is nowhere for you to flee now."

Ganondorf opened the barred door, and Link shifted slightly away from the being that intended to abuse him. "Do I frighten you?" The evil man asked in amusement. "It is natural for you to fear a being of my status; the prey is expected to cower from a predator."

"I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but a pig doesn't stand a chance against a wolf." Link spat at him; there was no way that he was giving up without a fight this time, especially since his health was fully replenished.

An enormous, dark hand shot out for Link's throat. "Do you wish to die a premature death?"

The hero clad in green attire pulled at the massive appendage that was squeezing the life out of him. "You... you wouldn't kill... me..." He choked out the words between strained breaths.

The grip around his neck loosened, but he was still being held firmly. "Those words are true, for your death would not satisfy immense hatred that I have cultivated over my years of oppression.

"My soul thirsts for more than that," his gaze filled with lecherous contempt as he continued to speak, "I want to watch your spirit break, to witness your heroic courage shatter into minuscule fragments."

Link's eyes grew quite large before Ganondorf slammed him onto his back on the icy stone floor. As a series of coughs erupted from his chest, the young man desperately tried to push himself back up, but a forceful fist was shoving his head in the ground.

"Since you managed to retain your liveliness even after being wounded so severely, I believe that a new method of abuse will prove to be more successful," the large Gerudo informed his victim, "shall we test my theory?"

With one hand forcing Link's head down, Ganondorf used his other to grope the sensitive area located between the boy’s legs.

"What are you doing?!" Link hollered as his enemy massaged his clothed groin. Though it would be obvious to most, this young man was from a remote village that had a population of less than twenty inhabitants; foul acts such as this did not occur there. In fact, the only sexual relations that took place in Ordon were between husband and wife, as the other citizens were all young children. Ilia was the only person that he would be able to consider as a potential partner, and he did not reciprocate her romantic feelings to the extent of making their relationship a physical one.

"As I previously stated, I am going to destroy that loathsome spirit that dwells within you." Ganondorf sneered as he continued to stimulate the innocent hero. Link relinquished an utterly undignified gasp as his pure body absorbed the pleasurable sensation brought on by Ganondrof’s hand engulfing his clothed and hardening member. 

“What a truly pitiful child,” the warlock snorted as he straddled the much smaller male, utilizing his unearthly weight to pin down the squirming hero, “it would seem as though you are lacking experience in areas other than swordsmanship.”

“Shut up,” Link snarled, his jaw clenching as he unsuccessfully tried to worm away from the undesired groping, “and get off of me!” His protest’s authenticity was halved when another lecherous noise poured from his mouth when his assailant squeezed the covered erection.

Ganondorf removed the hand that was grinding the unfortunate warrior’s head into the cement and utilized it to pry Link’s jaw open and roughly force two of his massive fingers inside of the moist cavern. The young man slammed his head against the stone floor, sending a wave of pain coursing through his skull as he choked on the intruding appendages. An incoherent whine slipped out of the blond’s mouth as he struggled to take in air; however, his mind quickly shifted away from the unwelcomed intrusion to the loss of contact with his groin. 

Before he was able to fathom what was occurring, Link felt the rough fabric of his pants being unceremoniously tugged down his thighs, exposing the entirety of his private regions to the immoral man looming over his debauched form. The elder male’s features contorted into a horrid expression of amusement upon witnessing the supposed hero’s uncovered arousal, causing Link to lash out in order to preserve his waning dignity. 

As Link began to violently shove and push on Ganondorf's massive chest in attempt to force him away, the hand that had been forced down his throat was extracted and slinked down towards his rear. "What..." His next words turned into a shriek of pain when the demonic Gerudo pushed a slick finger inside of the unfortunate young man's tight entrance, instantaneously killing any semblance of pleasure he previously felt. "What the hell are you doing to me?!"

"You are a Hylian, and a rather small one at that," Ganondorf spoke in a menacingly calm tone as he watched Link's face contort in pain, "it would be nearly impossible for you to accommodate a man of my size without being properly stretched."

Link was utterly baffled at the vague statement, and he couldn't process all of that information with a finger shoved up his ass. "What are you... talking about?" The boy struggled to say before the King of Evil thrusted a second finger inside. The hero let out a stifled whine before speaking again. "Get it out! What do… what do you think you're doing?!"

Ganondorf maneuvered his fingers in a way that would cause that tight ring of muscle to loosen as he erupted into a fit of deep chuckles. "Could you truly be so naive?" The Gerudo inquired as Link's body tensed and spasmed from the elder male's invasion actions.

"Stop!" Link tried to sound forceful, but in a position of complete vulnerability, he came across as feeble. However, his command was followed, for the Gerudo removed his fingers from Link's behind...

"What...?" The boy uttered upon witnessing Ganondorf's next move, for the brawny man was working himself free from the confines of his pants.

"It seems as though you truly are nothing more than a mere child," the man hailing from the desert claimed after seeing Link's reaction, "but that makes no difference; I am going to break you."

Link's eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets at the sight of Ganondorf's newly unsheathed member. The hero, though a pure being, was by no means an idiot, so he quickly put all of the pieces together.

"No!" Link shouted and began to flail around like a madman. "Let go of me!" He pounded on his enemy's chest with all of his strength, but the massive Gerudo was simply stronger than the young Hylian.

While replacing one hand on Link's face to hold him down, Ganondorf used the other to force a struggling leg towards the ceiling, giving the evil man a better angle to take his victim...

It was quick... one swift movement was all it took for Ganondorf's enormous shaft to impale Link. The younger ceased his cries of desperation for a moment before he felt the intense sensation in his backside.

He was bleeding... he was certain if that. Ganondorf's shaft had definitely torn the flesh that was lining the inner part of his rear, for that thing was much too big for Link's body to accommodate.

The King of Evil did not move as he waited for Link's reaction, and it more satisfying that he had imagined. The boy began to breathe in labored gasps until finally, a bloodcurdling scream erupted from deep within his throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, you are liking the plot thus far!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no! Bad things are happening!!

"Get off of me!" Link screamed out of both pain and terror. "Stop it!"

A sadistic grin spread across the Gerudo's face as he slowly withdrew his member from the panicked youth, which caused the boy to let out a ragged breath of relief. However, the hero's alleviation was over in less than a second when Ganondorf rammed himself back into Link, forcing another agonized cry to rip out of the young man's throat.

"Such a pitiful child..." Ganondorf grunted as he forcefully thrust his large member repeatedly into his victim.

Link began to thrash around and lash out at his attacker, but no matter what he tried, Ganondorf kept him firmly pinned to the cellar's cement floor and forced him to endure more of this excruciating pain.

However, just as the agony that was caused by Ganondorf's unforgiving movements became utterly unbearable, an overwhelming sensation washed over Link, making the hero's body quake with pleasure, stirring his nearly dead erection to attention.

Link desperately tried to get his outcries under control, for he didn't want Ganondorf to hear his pitiful shrieks of trepidation, and he somehow managed to subdue his cries of pain... however, he was not able to suppress the lecherous moans that were produced from this surreal feeling of having his prostate repeatedly struck.

"I see that you are beginning to enjoy yourself," the Gerudo king declared in an amused tone of voice, "this will make things more entertaining."

Ganondorf shifted positions so that both of his elbows were now pressed against the stony ground, allowing his whole body to rock forward as he continued to penetrate Link's rear, which was now slick with his own blood. Yet the only thing that the boy's mind could comprehend was the pain reverberating up his spine and the feverish heat that was consuming his body.

"Stop..." He sounded so weak and helpless as he begged for his nemesis to end this torture, but all of his pleas were futile, for this man lacked a sense of mercy... especially when it came to Hyrule's destined savior. Besides, Ganondorf had set out to crush this boy's audacious ambitions, and he would not cease this torment before achieving that goal.

But this was all too much for the Hylian; he had never experienced something so agonizing yet so sensual, for this was his first sexual encounter... but this was most definitely not the way that Link had imagined this experience to go, not even close... but his abused body disregarded Link's mental rejection of the situation and reacted to every touch, and the Gerudo was quite aware of the fact that his victim was so vulnerable.

Link screwed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out these overwhelming sensations, but Ganondorf was not about to let this young man escape into the confines of his mind. In order to prevent that from happening, the massive man slowed his pace down drastically, which forced Link to feel the large member scrape along every single nerve inside of him. However, that was only part of Ganondorf's plan to make sure that Link was fully aware of what he was going through.

The hero's eyes shot open as he felt one of the Gerudo's enormous hands grab his rejuvenated erection. He unconsciously bucked his hips into the hand that was commanding his shaft to become hard before moaning at the friction from the hand's rough strokes.

Ganondorf pumped and pulled at Link's member until it was fully erect before using his thumb to sensually rub the moistened tip. The boy arched his back in response, shamefully begging for more contact from that teasing hand.

Seeing the expression of erotic anxiety that was plastered upon Link's face, the new ruler of Hyrule began slamming his member into Link with a renewed sense of vigor, for he was nearing his own climax and needed release.

Suddenly, a warm liquid oozed into the confines of Link's inner walls as Ganondorf's massive shaft began to return to its flaccid form. Link hissed as the Gerudo's thick juice stung his internal injuries before mixing with his blood and leaking out onto the floor. However, that pain quickly subsided to make way for the massive wave of pleasure that made the hero's mind blank out.

Crying out with pure ecstasy, Link thrusted his body upwards as his erection spewed a milky substance; it dribbled down onto Ganondorf's hand and his own stomach as his muscles contracted as a result of the intense orgasm.

As Link continued to ride out the pleasure granted by this overwhelming climax, Ganondorf removed his member from the boy and tucked it back in his pants before straighten his appearance. He rose to his feet and loomed over the tattered hero.

"Unfortunately," the evil king spoke, regaining the attention of the wrung out hero, "I must depart. As the new king of Hyrule, I have important matters to attend to."

"King..." Link uttered in disbelief as his body was finally beginning to cool down, drawing his focus back upon the awful pain radiating throughout his entire body. "Yeah, right..."

"Do not test my patience, you petty brat," Ganondorf glared menacingly at his prey, "whether you choose to accept it or not, I am the ruler of this land, and you are nothing more than an insignificant child... and let us not forget how easily you came under minimal stimulation from another man."

As desperately as Link wanted to refute that statement, it was true. Though he mentally rejected the Gerudo's advances, his body indulged and delighted in each touch, which completely repulsed the adolescent hero.

"Enough of this meaningless talk," the man rumbled, "I do have an agenda that I must keep. In my absence, you can attempt to rationalize your lewd behavior, though there truly is no excuse for it."

Those words made it feel as though a dagger had just stabbed Link through the stomach. Ganondorf was right...

_________________________________________________________________________

It was still before noon in Ordon, and most of the villagers were going about their normal lives. Jaggle was inspecting the watermill, Sera was running her shop, Fado was attempting to herd his goats, and the others were found in their usual locations. However, Ilia was not outside as per usual.

After returning from Ordon Spring, the young woman decided to return home. Ordinarily, Ilia would be tending to the wounded animals or watching over the younger children as they played, but she was not inclined to do such activities today.

Though all of the citizens living in this southern village considered Link to be a precious person, Ilia definitely had the closest relationship with him. From the time the young Hylian had been taken in by the Ordonian people, he and Ilia had become the best of friends, and though her mind was slowly acknowledging the truth, she refrained from accepting that Link was truly gone.

Lost in her thoughts, Ilia barely picked up on a noise coming from outside... it sounded as though a wild animal was rampaging through the town, and various voices were trying to settle it down. Quickly rising from her seat at the kitchen table, Ilia peered out the window to discover what could be causing such a racket.

She believed her eyes were deceiving her when she watched a familiar brown horse throw its weight aimlessly about.

"Epona...?" Ilia ran to the front door and rushed onto the porch. She watched in utter disbelief as Rusl and Fado desperately grabbed for the horse's reins in order to stop her from bucking around like a rampant bull.

Turning her attention several yards from that situation, the Ordonian watched as her father helped pull a cloaked figure from the ground. The person was tall and slender and completely garbed in a dark grey cloth; though it was uncertain who this being was, Ilia was able to determine that he or she had been thrown off of Epona.

The two men were still wrestling to get ahold of Link's mare when Ilia decided to take action. She pulled out her gun and shot everyone in sight. Not really, because guns haven't been invented yet, and Ilia isn't that kind of person.

She raced over to where Epona was restlessly thrashing and effortlessly got the steed under control. Though she wasn't able to jump onto Epona's back and tame her as Link had once done, the girl's calm and soothing demeanor towards animals was enough to settle the horse. After resolving the issue so simply, she turned to an out of breath Rusl as she stroked Epona's nose, easing the bewildered creature into a state of relaxation.

"What's going on? I thought that..."

"I'm not sure," Rusl huffed; he was getting too old for this sort of thing, though age would never stop this vivacious man, "she just came charging in here... I have no idea where she came from or how she found her way here..."

"Who is that...?" Ilia turned back to her father and the mystery person; her wishful thinking tempted her into believing that it must be Link, yet the person’s fragile frame did not resemble her best friend in the slightest.

"I don't know. He was riding Epona and got thrown off."

They both watched in anticipation as the unknown man straightened his posture and reached for the hood covering his shrouded face. As the fabric was pulled back, Rusl relinquished a noise overwhelmed with awe before uttering a muted “Princess Zelda.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm... I wonder what will happen next...?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Princess Zelda has arrived to save the day! Maybe

“Your Majesty.” Rusl immediately dropped to one knee upon realizing that the mystery man was actually Hyrule’s female sovereign. His actions drew the attention of the surrounding villagers, and after a few sparse moments had passed, a small crowd had gathered to witness the scene. 

Hushed whispered radiated throughout the rather tiny group of people, all of which equally as baffled as the others, for most inhabitants of this isolated village had never ventured beyond the boundary of Faron Woods; therefore, a limited few had actually laid eyes upon Hyrule’s leader. Along with that, word of this very woman’s demise had been distributed several days ago, confusing the townspeople to an even greater extent.

“Don’t crowd her,” the mayor quickly intervened upon realizing that his citizens were gawking and gossiping, “come on, now. Don’t be rude.” Sheepish smiles and apologetic glances replaced the awe-stricken features found upon the populous’ faces after being scolded by Bo. 

“Princess,” Rusl straightened himself into a standing position, “are you all right? Did you get hurt when Epona threw you?” 

“I presume that is the name of this horse,” the gorgeous brunette stated after a moment of thought, “I was not injured; in fact, I owe a great debt to this creature, and I must ask that you refrain from addressing me in such a way, as I am no longer the monarch of Hyrule. I am afraid that the title of sovereign now belongs to Ganondorf.”

“We will never accept that horrible man as the king!” Jaggle vehemently protested.

“He is a despicable person,” another villager added, “he’s not worthy of being this land’s ruler.”

“That guy doesn’t deserve any of the power he’s got.”

“You’ll never see me bow down to such a heinous man!”

The onslaught of insults directed towards the evil Gerudo only continued to grow in vulgarity, as all of these people passionately rejected his claim to Hyrule’s throne. 

“That’s enough,” Bo finally declared as the villagers grew fervent, “you all still have things to get done before planting season comes around, don’t you? There isn’t time to just stand around and scream your heads off; it isn’t going to do any good.” While Bo often appeared to dawdle and loaf about, he was still revered as a capable mayor and could act accordingly when the need arose.

After receiving a thorough reprimand from the man appointed to govern Ordon, the villagers scurried back to their previous positions, each returning to their typical role in this unsophisticated society. 

“I apologize for that,” the obese man told the young brunette after everyone – save for Rusl – had scattered, “the folks that live around here are usually more considerate than that. Everyone is just a little on edge since Link won’t be coming home.”

“Your Maj-“ Rusl began to address the princess before recalling her previous statement. “Ma’am, I have many questions I would like to ask you concerning the events that lead to our current situation. I understand that you might be apprehensive, but I assure you that we are only interested in the peace of Hyrule.”

Smiling gently, Zelda quickly responded. “The people of this village clearly oppose Ganondorf’s rule, so I believe that speaking with you would be acceptable,” she shifted her cerulean gaze towards the fatter man before adding, “based upon your previous statement, I conclude that Link hails from this region?”

Bo nodded in confirmation.  
“Then I would be honored to consider you as allies.”

_________________________________________________________________________

“Uli should have the stew ready in a few minutes,” Rusl noted, “please, make yourself comfortable.”

Offering her gratitude to the man, Zelda took a seat on one of the few chairs located within his home. The structure was less than grand, especially compared to the exquisite buildings observed by royalty, yet the young princess was not in the least bit appalled by the Rusl’s shoddy home. In fact, she quite enjoyed its folksy atmosphere, as it reminded her of elements from the many stories her childhood attendant would read to her at bedtime. 

“I guess that the way that we live is a bit alarming to you, huh?” The mayor, who had taken a seat on the less than appealing sofa, chuckled softly at the way in which the brunette was analyzing every detail of the house.

“While it’s true that I am not used to this setting, I honestly find your village quite charming,” she answered with a genuine smile, “it seems as though this is a rather peaceful region, and peace is an ideal that all life forms strive towards… yet few are able to obtain it – a rather sad truth, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am, it is,” the swordsman solemnly agreed, “and I’m afraid that with Ganondorf claiming Hyrule, peace will be even more difficult to find.”

“You would be correct in that assumption. Ganondorf is a man driven by his disheartening lust for power,” Zelda explained, “nothing beneficial could possibly result from his tyrannical reign.”

“I was under the same impression,” Rusl remarked in a remorseful tone, “were you aware that he declared your death to the public?”

“I was not, though this information does not startle me. If the people of Hyrule were to retain hope of my return, he would not be able to gain complete control over the civilians. There would always be brave souls revolting against him,” she dejectedly noted, “and while his true power is beyond comprehension, he does not wish to engage in petty confrontations. He is a ruthless being, and he would delight in destroying any creature with the resolve to oppose him, yet he only thirsts for the blood of those which he deems worthy.”

“And you are one of those people?” Rusl pressed. 

“I am,” Zelda did not hesitate with her reply, for she did not doubt that Ganondorf would instantaneously kill her had he caught her on that fateful day, “though my presence is virtuously meaningless compared to that of the Fated Hero.”

“Fated Hero?” Bo rubbed the back of his bald head, clearly unsure of exactly who the princess was referring to.

“The one destined to bear the Triforce of Courage – the one you know as Link.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are having a fabulous day!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting all these chapters at once takes longer than you would think! haha

Another dose of healing potion had been administered to Ganondorf’s sole prisoner, and while the red liquid quickly worked its magic upon the physical components of Link’s broken body, the young hero’s mind was in a state of utter wreckage, for the King of Evil had successfully broken through Link’s wall of defense, and it was only a matter of time before another round of that torturous defilement was brought to fruition. 

As he sat in a state of perfect bodily health, the thought of Ganondorf’s depraved actions haunted his mind. Link had known that the Gerudo was a cruel being, as the peril befalling Hyrule was the result of his inhumanity, yet the blond savior had not expected an act as lowly and immoral as sexual assault. 

From the moment he realized that he was being held captive by this awful being, Link knew that there would be violence, but his simple and innocent mindset derived from Ordon had prevented him from suspecting that any creature, regardless of morality, would sink into the depths of lustful vengeance. Yet the more he analyzed the situation, Link came to the realization that Ganondorf did not perform that heinous violation due to his own sexual desire. 

It served as a display of dominance – nothing more and nothing less. It was a simple demonstration of the power; one that illustrated exactly how inferior Link’s own strength was when compared to his enemy. And the pitiful way in which Link crumbled and withered when faced with the ferocious assault pleased Ganondorf immensely, as it was the first time during his imprisonment that the hero had displayed signs of vulnerability. Therefore, Link had not a single doubt in his mind that this absolutely barbaric torment would persist in the future.

_________________________________________________________________________

“You’re saying that Link is this hero?” Bo inquired, his eyes filled with skepticism; he was well aware of the young man’s great feats, but Link was still just a simple farm boy in his mind.

“This village is not of Hylian origin,” the exiled princess noted, “therefore, it does not surprise me that you are not familiar with the legend of his existence; many of my own people have begun to dismiss it as mere fantasy, though I assure you that it is far more than that.”

“I have heard tales concerning the Master Sword and its unique abilities,” the aged swordsman commented, “does that tie into this?” While Rusl was still relatively uneducated in the area of Hylian history, he was the most well-versed Ordonian – especially concerning the topic of cultural heritage.

“It most certainly does; as the legend dictates, a courageous youth will come forth when the land of Hyrule is being threatened by a force of great evil. Through exhibiting his unwavering sense of heroism, the youth will be endowed with the Blade of Evil’s Bane, and Farore – the Golden Goddess of courage – will bequeath her power unto him, aiding the youth in his quest to restore harmony to this blessed land of Hyrule.”

“But if this legend is true, how could the hero possibly be defeated?” Rusl pondered the tale of Hyrule’s fate. “With both a goddess’s blessing and a sword forged specifically for vanquishing evil beings, it would be nearly impossible for the youth to fail.”

Shifting her gentle, azure gaze to the once pristinely white glove of her right hand, Zelda allowed herself to softly sigh. “As its title would suggest, the Triforce is composed of three pieces. Farore’s courage is bestowed upon the hero, Din’s power is controlled by the incarnation of evil itself, and Nayru’s wisdom is inherited by the successor to Hyrule’s royal family,” she paused for a brief moment, clenching her dominant hand into a resentful fist, “in respective order, Link, Ganondorf, and I are all in possession of one of the Triforce’s three fragments, and it is spitefully so that Ganondorf wields the most lethal piece.”

“Why would a goddess endow such evil with that much strength?” Rusl’s inquiry exhumed the princess from her world of despairing thoughts. 

“After the creation of this sacred land, the goddesses withdrew from mortal affairs; they left the Triforce behind as not only a symbol of hope, but as a means to obtain it, yet having prohibited themselves from intervening with earthly proceedings, the Golden Goddesses favored neither the temporal forces of good nor evil. Thus, in the years prior to his protracted imprisonment, Ganondorf was able to claim the portion that most closely resembled his villainous heart’s desires.” 

_________________________________________________________________________

With no exposure to the outside world, Link was unable to determine the location of the sun; thus, he was incapable of establishing a sense of time. The agony and unease that accompanied the thoughts of Ganondorf’s return were nearly unbearable, yet while the significant chip that the Gerudo left in Link’s heroic spirit was rather severe, the young man was far from giving in to the despair that so desperately clawed at his soul. For no matter how unfortunate, cruel, or detestable his circumstances, Link did not have the luxury of admitting defeat. It was an offer that was off the table – or rather, an offer that had never been placed on the table, for he was still the only being in this world that was capable of vanquishing the evil that was Ganondorf.

However, Link’s unwavering resolve did not render him incapable of experiencing the sensations of both dread and fear, especially when the disconcerting sound of plodding footfalls echoed throughout the moist, dingy walkways. 

An immediate panic coursed through Link’s body as though it were a wave of electric shock, yet the initial sense of terror began to subside as the blond realized that the approaching individual’s footsteps did not resonate throughout the surrounding area in the same way as the massive Gerudo’s heavy strides. 

This person’s – or creature’s – footfalls strongly resembled that of an averagely sized male, yet that information alone did not aid Link in his attempts to discern the identity of the approaching being, as many beasts of this land were similar in weight and stature to that of a Hylian – specifically bublins and bokoblins. However, as the figure advanced through the shadows, the failed hero glimpsed its defining features. A metallic helmet shielded its face, and lengthy chainmail armor shrouded its torso and thighs, yet the crest depicted on this being’s chest plate sent a wave of hope dancing through Link’s recently healed frame, for the insignia proudly displayed atop the approaching figure’s armor was none other than the Triforce, indicating that this man was a Hylian Soldier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any ideas as to what will happen next?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope you are enjoying the story, and if you have read this far, I think you must be!

“I apologize for the interruption,” Rusl’s rather soft spoken wife approached the triad consisting of the Hylian princess and two Ordonian men, “but I’ve finished preparing the stew. Please,” Uli continued, giving each person a bowl filled with the hardy soup, “enjoy the meal and do not hesitate to ask for anything.”

Zelda offered a small smile in return, genuinely appreciating the superb hospitality of this simple village. “Thank you,” she gratuitously accepted the bowl, “you are very kind.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all.” The blonde woman insisted before granting the trio with another session of solitude.

“Your wife is a lovely woman.” Stirring her beefy stew with a slightly rusted spoon, the elegant young princess verbally praised the congeniality of Rusl’s spouse.

“That she is,” the brunet proudly grinned before steering the conversation in a new direction, “I had intended to ask you this since your rather abrupt arrival, but the thought fled my mind while we were discussing the Hylian prophecies. Regardless, I am still curious as to why you chose to seek refuge in Ordon?”

“In all honesty, your village was not my intended destination. After witnessing the final encounter between our hero and Ganondorf, I fled-“

“You were there during that fight?” Bo hastily interjected. 

“I was,” Zelda possessed no foul thoughts towards the man for his interruption, “though my presence was for naught, as Ganondorf had erected an impregnable barrier to seal himself and Link away from foreign interference.”

Bo swallowed harshly, reluctant to discover the truthful answer to his next question. “Then… is it true what they say? Was he really killed?” The intense emotions affiliated with that query made it utterly impossible for the mayor to speak his name, yet each of the three individuals knew the person in which the large man was referencing.

The inquiry weighed heavily upon the princess’s ailing heart, yet she dutifully responded with the extent of her knowledge. “With much remorse, I must inform you that the divulgence of his death was not a mere ploy,” her azure eyes were unable to meet the plaintive faces crumpling with her every word, “while both forces grew weary from their lengthy battle, it was he who faltered first, granting that ruthless man with the opportunity to mercilessly claim victory.”

“So there’s no chance that he could still be alive…?” Rusl’s question came out as little more than a dejected whisper, for he had truly believed that Link’s flame of life had not yet been extinguished.

“It is highly doubtful, though I cannot proclaim his death with absolute certainty,” she woefully stated, “the sheer force with which he was struck was immense; his collapse was instantaneous upon Ganondorf’s barbarous assault, yet I failed to witness the subsequent events, for the focus of that foul man’s wrath immediately diverted to me, regrettably forcing me to once again concede defeat and flee,” the guilt brought on by her cowardice was written across her face as if it was black ink marring pristine parchment, “therefore, I am uncertain as to whether that seemingly fatal strike served its intended purpose.”

“So basically, the chances of his survival are slim at best… I really thought that the odds were in his favor,” the swordsman wistfully shook his head, “what a fool I’ve been, clinging to a false sense of hope like some sort of idiotic simpleton…”

“Rusl,” the plump man spoke, desperately trying to disguise the sorrow escaping with his voice, “don’t speak of yourself in such a degrading way; you had a just cause for believing that he survived.”

Though the princess did not want to further agitate their grief, Mayor Bo’s previous statement compelled her to interrogate Rusl. “I apologize for extending this lamentable conversation, but I must ask why you were skeptical of his death. Is there significant information causing doubt towards that allegation?”

Rusl shrugged his slumping shoulders, though he decided that disclosing his previous theory could do no further harm. “I don’t know if this would be considered significant, but there were a few facts that made me uncertain of the truth behind that announcement. I am a member of a group known as The Resistance,” Rusl began to explain, “they are based out of Telma’s bar in Hyrule’s market place, and their purpose for being is to aid Hyrule in its quest for peace. Over the past few months, Link had been working closely with them, so they felt obliged to collect his body when the unfortunate news had circulated. However, he nor his gear could be located, yet the Master Sword was still there, leading us to believe that he had been taken away by an evil creature prior to our arrival, and we could not fathom a reason behind his abduction by such a being, so we came to the conclusion that Ganondorf had perhaps imprisoned him, as no one has seen solid evidence supporting that wretched man’s claim of murder.”

“While not a flawless deduction,” the princess speculated, “I suppose there is a slight possibility of such an event. Since the Blade of Evil’s Bane was the sole object remaining on the battlefield, it only seems logical to believe that Ganondorf, or perhaps one of his detestable minions, removed Link from the scene,” the brunette’s characteristically elegant style of speaking faltered for a moment as her mind arranged the pieces of this puzzle, “and if our hero had truly been slain during that battle, Ganondorf would surely have substantiated his victory by publically displaying the fallen hero,” she, along with the two highly revered village men, winced at the disturbing thought of Link’s corpse being utilized as a trophy, “however,” Princess Zelda forcibly calmed herself, “all of this is mere speculation; we can be certain of nothing at this point.”

“But… you believe that there is a chance of this? Even after watching their fight?” The mayor failed to suppress his rising hope.

“I do not wish to rouse your confidence in the matter, as I truly do not know the answer,” there was a brief hesitation in her words, “but I can say that we should not yet eliminate the possibility, for it is a plausible and favorable prospect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a side note, I often type rather quickly and end up overlooking grammatical errors, so if you see any, feel free to let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now Zelda is aware that Link might be alive! I wonder what that could do...

As the Hylian guard drew closer to Link’s chamber, the blonde youth practically jumped to his feet and rushed to the metal bars securing his current position. Forcing his arm between two of the poles, Link vigorously tried alert the man of his location. It seemed as though his efforts were a success; however, as the soldier drew closer, the young blond noticed that the man walked with a limp and clung to a crimson stain on his uniform; he was severely injured.

When the soldier finally managed to arrive at the set of bars separating Link from the remainder of Hyrule, he hunched over and grabbed the metal poles to support his failing body. “I can’t… go much farther…” He huffed, his entire frame heaving as he leaned heavily onto the frigid metal. “We tried to revolt against him, but… Ganondorf… he was too strong. He annihilated the entirety of our force singlehandedly… Please, I don’t care what crimes you have committed… I’ll release you. Just please, help me get out of here… in this weakened state, I’ll be found and killed or die of blood loss, so please… help me…”

Without awaiting an answer from the youth assumed to be a criminal, the soldier removed a key ring from his belt and unlatched the lock securing Link in his cell. Based upon the assumptions he gathered from this man’s words, Ganondorf knew that he had managed to flee with his life and was not going to allow him to escape with it. That explained the soldier’s desperation and willingness to beg even a supposed felon for help, as death was the man’s only alternative.

“Hurry… we have to go…” the man’s ragged breath constantly interrupted his speech, “we’ll be caught soon if we don’t move.”

The Hyrulean soldiers were never brave men; if the threat they were facing did not immediately back down, it was they who would retreat from the scene. However, that did not make them inherently bad people, and this man was no exception, especially considering that he took part in a rebellion against the ruthless King of Evil. Therefore, Link did not abandon him and flee to ensure his own safe escape, for without the generosity granted by this defeated man, the young hero had nary a hope of freedom, yet it was now within his grasp.   
_________________________________________________________________________

“You heard me, didn’t you?” Ilia stroked Epona’s elongated face while leading her into Ordona’s sacred spring. “When I played the horse grass, you heard, and you came back.” 

The horse was naturally unable to respond, yet the huff of breath she gave in return to those words was the only confirmation that the youth needed.

“If only you had brought him along with you…” A somber smile appeared on Ilia’s face for a brief moment before she began to wash Epona’s body in attempt to heal the injuries she received on her long and daunting journey. “I can tell that you worked hard alongside your master,” the young woman spoke calmly to Link’s steed as its body was cleansed, “it must be as surreal for you as it is for us – to be without him, that is. I suppose only time will heal those wounds, huh? At least I can alleviate the physical pain for you; that must be better than nothing. It will-” 

“Ilia!” A child’s voice pierced through Ilia’s calming words. Averting her attention from the task of bathing Epona, Ilia scanned the area to find the source of that outcry, which was a rather simple task since the one calling to her was quickly advancing towards her.

“Colin?” The blonde female muttered upon witnessing the boy sprinting towards her at an alarmingly rapid pace. “Colin, what is it? What’s wrong?” There was clear concern evident in her voice, for the child rushing to her seemed terribly panicked.

“Ilia,” the young boy repeated her name as he slowed to stop at the water’s edge, his breath shortened and his body hunched from the extreme effort he had been exerting, “I ran all over the village looking for you,” he explained the reason for his fatigue, “I have to tell you something! It’s really important!”

Ilia pulled Epona along with her as she sloshed through the water in order to get closer to the boy. “What’s happened? Is everything okay?” 

With his chest still hammering away, Colin breathily replied. “When I went home for lunch, I overheard something that the woman who fell off Epona was telling Dad.” Since most of the children were kept away from Epona as she dangerously rampaged into the village, they were unaware that the female rider was Princess Zelda; Colin was no exception. “It’s about Link! She said… she said that he might still be alive!”

Ilia felt her heart miss a beat, yet before her idealistic side could surface, she forced herself to remain rational and realistic. “Colin, you must have heard her incorrectly. Link is… you know that he’s no longer with us.”

“That’s not true!” He denied her claim. “Dad agrees with her, and so does the mayor!”

“My father?” She quizzically gasped, for she knew that her patriarchal figure would never concur with such a bold statement unless there was some form of persuasive evidence. “What exactly did he say?”

“I didn’t hear everything,” the kid reluctantly admitted, “but they were saying that no one ever found him after he died, and that’s when that woman said that he could be locked up in an old prison under Hyrule Castle.” 

“Colin, I-“

“If there’s a chance that he’s still alive, then we have to do something!” The young boy burst with suppressed emotions, interrupting Ilia before the subject of her next statement was spoken. “We have to help him!”

While it would be false to claim that Ilia did not want to help the hero that she had grown so fond of over the years, her mind was more mature and rational than that of Colin. “We couldn’t,” she solemnly declared, “we don’t know for certain if he would even be in this prison, and we haven’t the slightest idea as to where it is. Even if we did know those two things, it would be too dangerous; there are still monsters everywhere, so crossing Hyrule Field would be nearly impossible.”

The expression of pure determination upon Colin’s childish face did not waver. “When we were captured, he saved us. He saved us and so many other people,” the boy adamantly reminded Ilia of the hero’s unparalleled feats, “and now he needs help. Link needs help – our help. He would never turn away if we needed him, so the least we can do is try to do the same for him.”

As the sun shone through the branches of the surrounding trees to caress her face and the wind gusted upon her skin, Ilia felt the power and truth behind Colin’s words. This boy who was once seen as a cowardly tattletale now held the same resolve of the fearsome hero.

“Well,” her voice was a bit hesitant, but she did not doubt her decision, “I suppose traveling into Hyrule would be safe if we took Epona,” the horse received a gentle pat as the girl spoke, “she was able to survive through the harshest conditions during her adventure with Link, after all.”

Colin’s face lit up with joy and anticipation from Ilia’s approval of their quest. 

“But we still don’t know where this prison would be, and I doubt that we would be able to simply waltz in to find Link.”

The younger Ordonian shook his head in disagreement. “That’s not true. I heard Dad say that there’s a way to get there through a secret passage in one of Castle Town’s bars. One of his friends owns it; I think her name is Telma.”

“Telma!” The name was exclaimed by the young woman. “She’s the one that helped me when I lost my memory, and I know exactly where her bar is,” her expression was now nearly as adamant as Colin’s had been only moments ago, “it’s as you said, Colin: Link needs our help, so tomorrow at dawn, we will set out towards Castle Town.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now Link has a chance of escaping, and Ilia and Colin are headed there to help him out! What could happen next?


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized that I accidentally posted two chapters that were supposed to be separate as one, so there's only ten chapters being uploaded at once rather the eleven that I originally planned. I would fix it... but that would be annoying to fix, so I'm just leaving it as is.

Link and his injured liberator stood completely still, as if they were frozen, as the option of progressing any further could draw in the attention of the horde of bulblins meandering at the threshold to freedom, and that could prove to be detrimental. However, retreating into the underground prison was not a viable option either, for it was quite plausible and possible that either another group of bulblins of Ganondorf himself had followed the wounded soldier into the depths of this detestable penitentiary

Unfortunately, this unveiled scenario severely limited the possibility of escape; in fact, it left only two true options to choose from: the first being that Link could attempt to take on this swarm of menacing creatures by himself, and the other being that he and the soldier could retreat back into this dungeon, which would ultimately result in their inevitable discovery. Neither choice was appealing in the least, but the young hero needed to reach a decision rather hastily. 

However, his thoughts were interrupted by the man slumping by his side. “Can you fight?” The Hyrulean soldier caught Link’s attention and stared straight into his azure eyes. “I… I dropped my sword when I fled, and I’m too weak to take them on, but…” he paused for a brief second in order to withdraw an item that had been secured under his belt, “I have this; it might not be enough, but it has to be worth a try… I-I think it’s the only way that we… will be able to get out of here.”

After the severely impaired man had finished speaking, he reached out to place his newly revealed item in the youth’s palm. As Link’s leather clad hand accepted the small, silver dagger from the man, a sense of renewed determination and strength flowed through his previously doubtful mind. He tightly clutched the handle of the fine blade and gazed directly at the other male before affirmatively nodding at him. 

 

“I can fight,” the young hero boldly claimed before assisting him back around the corner in which they had recently emerged from, for it was not accessible to the monsters’ view and would serve as a refuge for Link’s ally, “but while I deal with those bulbins, you need stay here – it’ll be safer for you,” he gave his instructions to the man as he leaned his damaged body against the icy stone of the wall, “I’ll come back for you after I’ve finished them, and we will get out of here – I swear.” The fearsome look in his eyes were a guarantee that his statement was true, and while this soldier knew not of Link’s origins or capabilities, he did not doubt a single word that had been spoken.

After orally guaranteeing their freedom, Link’s attention was diverted to his mission of eliminating the bulblins. He peered back around the edge of the wall in order to assess the situation. The odds were stacked highly against the youthful blond, for the mass of enemies that needed to be eliminated consisted of nearly twenty creatures, most of which were armed with hefty clubs that could easily strike Link down, whereas Link wielded only a short dagger that was highly impractical when facing a mob such as this. However, if he could manage to claim one of their weapons for himself, Link would be able to turn the tides in his favor, and with this knowledge in mind, the young man devised a plan and immediately executed it.

Thus, without wasting a single, precious moment, Link launched the dagger through the air and allowed it to clank into the murky water that languidly streamed through the sewer, leaving the wounded Hylain soldier completely and utterly dumbfounded, as that item was the only weapon in either of their possessions. And as Link remained as though he were frozen in place behind the corner, the guard felt compelled to demand an answer for the boy’s seemingly insane action. However, just as the man’s mouth fell open to express his confusion, the curious coos of several bulblins hushed him as they began to move in to investigate the noise created by the projectile. And once they had strayed a significant distance from their herd, the hero bolted towards the weapon that he had just propelled through the air.

The bulblins were caught off guard as the blond youth emerged from his hiding place, giving Link the split second opportunity he needed in order to snatch up the dagger once again and drive it through the skull of one of the advancing creatures. Its horrific screams of agony alerted the entire horde, yet with adrenaline and courage raging through his veins, the Hero of Light was undaunted as the entirety of the groups’ undivided attention was not directed solely at him. Without wasting a single instant, Link took hold of the dead bulblin’s club and struck down the other two monstrous foes that had gone to investigate the fallen dagger. 

Then, one after another, the abominable minions of the Evil King shrieked with outrage and advanced towards the young man, only to be harshly beaten down by a weapon crafted by one of their own. Yet even though Link was successfully deceasing their numbers, he had been taking a rather harsh beating himself. His right forearm had taken an astonishingly brutal hit, his nose was gushing blood due to an intense smack in the face, and his left leg had been shot by one of the few archers placed within this unit. Nevertheless, the hero did not back down when facing such adverse conditions; rather, he continued to dwindle the enemy force until only he and a lone bulblin archer remained. 

The creature stood atop the stairs that ascended to the world above ground, and even though the grotesque being had witnessed the slaughter of its comrades, it refused to cease firing a barrage of arrows at the seasoned swordsman. However, Link simply shielded himself from the refined projectiles with his stolen club as he progressed towards the humanoid monstrosity, albeit rather slowly due to the wound delivered to his leg. Regardless of that injury, Link quite capably climbed the relatively short set of stairs before facing off against his final foe. 

As he prepared to execute this bulblin, Link could feel the basking rays of the sun pour in through the threshold before him and connect with his exposed skin, as well as intake a breath of the fresh, natural air that wafted in from outside of this dank cellar. Both were sensations that had been unjustly stolen from him, yet as he experienced them in this moment, it seemed as though all balance would be restored. Thus, with assured freedom on his mind, the youthful hero lifted his primitive weapon and slammed it down upon the head of that last bulblin. 

As the creature lifelessly plummeted to the ground, the youth relinquished his grip on the club before turning to gaze to the land located outside of the exit he stood before. He saw pastures of lush grass as well as an abundance of trees scattered across the terrain, indicating that this threshold was beyond the walls of Castle Town – most likely between the border between it and the expansive field of Hyrule. Viewing the boundless scene filled him with a sense of hope that had been absent from his life during his days of dreadful captivity, for he would soon be able to traverse the majestic land of Hyrule once again, expanding his knowledge and bolstering his power in order to finally end the wretched life of Hryule’s self-proclaimed king. However, he had one last commitment to see through before stepping through the opening that lead him out of this prison, so he turned back to the darkness that he was eager to escape and hobbled his damaged body back into its depths to recover the wounded soldier.

“It’s done,” he called out while trudging his way back to the man, “we can leave now… we’re free.” His voice sounded ragged from the strenuous interaction with the horde of bulblins, yet it also portrayed an extreme sense of relief. However, when he rounded the corner, his eyes perceived an unexpected scene and horrific sight; the soldier was in a disheveled mess on the ground, laying in a puddle of his own blood, and Ganondorf’s menacing figure stood over him. 

The Gerudo’s threatening form loomed over the spirited hero as he began to speak in a low, dangerous tone. “Free? That is far from what you are, boy,” the irate words which flowed from his mouth paused for a brief moment, granting him the opportunity to adjust the hold he had on his enormous blade, “you truly are nothing more than an incompetent child.” 

Link’s brilliantly blue eyes widened with absolute dread as any semblance of satisfaction vanished from his entire body; the screams of those damned bulblins must have masked the noise accompanying Ganondorf’s arrival, and the freedom that the youthful Hylian had nearly achieved was fading at an obnoxiously rapid pace, and before Link had time to react to this startling situation, the massive sword that had sealed his fate once before struck him down for the second time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, since this is the last chapter that I have completed as of the current time, I will be updating much slower. I will continue to update, but I don't have a schedule for my updates because I am always really inconsistent with them. I try to get them up every few weeks, but that probably won't happen. Sometimes, I might post three chapters in a day, and other times it will take me six months to get a single chapter up. Either way, updates will come, and I definitely look forward to reading and responding to your comments in the meantime! Again, I take everything into consideration, and I often times end up changing the entire course of a story because someone will suggest something that is much, much better than what I had originally planned!


End file.
